pet loads 25-35

[canon6]

Any of you guys have any pet loads for the 25-35.I am having one built ,  any help would be appreciated.    Doug

[Lone Star]

What kind of firearm - handgun, rifle, single shot, lever action.....?




.

[84Jim]

I've been loading 25-35 for an old model 94 that I have.  Both 60 and 117 Hornady's.  I'm using IMR 4064 now.  I've developed both loads on my own years ago when few manuals listed that cartridge.  I figure that 3031 is the best powder for that cartridge, but decided to use what I had on hand.  I started out with IMR 4895 but had some pressure issues, and found that 4064 was more forgiving.  My 60 gr. load is 29.0 grains of 4064 and shoots very nicely.  OAL was determined simply be getting enough of that short bullet into the case.

I've found that my 117 load is above maximum but works fine in my gun.  I tried to get it as hot as I could to have a chance of killing a deer if I ever got an oppertunity.    I've never chronoed either load, so I don't know how they stack up to factory ammo, but the point of impact is the same at 100 yds.  OAL for that bullet was determined by crimping into the cannelure, and functions fine in the tubular mag on the 94.  BTW I've been using some old Rem 8 1/2 primers that I inherited 30 years ago.

The gun is fun to shoot and surpriseingly accurate considering the open sights. I do think that all they say about it being the minimum cartridge for deer is true.  I did kill a nice buck several years ago, but it took four shots to bring it down.  My uncle, who hunted with it for a number of years, called it a Hollywood gun, "it makes a lot of noise but doesn't do anything on the other end."  Good luck!

Jim

[canon6]

Lonestar, it is for a 22 inch rifle.    Doug

[84Jim]

I lied!  After I posted I remembered shooting over a buddy's chronograph in 1995, and thought I might have took my 25-35.  I looked through my stuff and found the data sheets.  The temperature was 18 degrees that day, so it might have affected the velocities a little bit.

117 Winchester factory - 2010 fps
117 handloads - 1987 fps (I've since upped the charge .2 grains)
100 partition (I had some left over that wouldn't shoot in my 25-06) - 2197 fps

As i said before, both handloads used IMR 4064

[Darrell Davis]

Hey fellers,

Expect you all ready know this, but if you get short of brass, 30/30 brass can be turned into 25/35 with just one stroke of the reloading press.

A good sizing lube like Imperial Sizing Wax does help the process.

STP  is a great lube for hard forming jobs, but is a royal pain to clean up.

The Imperial Sizing Wax is almost as good and easy to clean off the cases.

Don't have a 25/35, but load for a friend with a Savage 99.

Keep em coming!

CDOC

[84Jim]

30/30 brass can be turned into 25/35 with just one stroke of the reloading press

Really?  Do you have to turn the necks or anything?  Even though they have the same size base, the 25-35 has a much greater taper.  It looks to me like a 30-30 case has about twice as much brass.

[Darrell Davis]

Morn'in 84Jim,

Well as per neck turning, it never hurts to true up the outside of a case neck and it is better to be safe then sorry.

However, so far this has not been an issue with this decrease in neck dia. and the thin brass found on 30/30s.

When I got my set of Hornady 25/35 dies, one of the customer comments about the dies was about the problems the dies gave when forming 30/30 to 25/35.

After reading his comments, I didn't buy into his "problems" as I had formed enough cases over the years to know a trick or two.

Lube is the key!!!!!!!!!!  STP will smooth out about any forming operation, but as already indicated it is a mess to get the cases clean.

It was very likely here on "GB" that I picked up the tip about the Imperial Sizing Wax, and it was a good one.  It does work and is easy to wipe off the cases.

Guess looks can be trick a person, as the 30/30 to 25/35 is just one slick pass through the dies, load and shoot.

Take care not to over lube the case, as the thin brass dents very easy.

As indicated, my friend's 25/35 is a Savage model #99 which allows us to use a spitzer style bullet.  I loaded the Hornady 100gr. Interlock for his rifle.

Just rec'd word last night that his daughter took a whitetail doe with a high lung shot at about 100yds.

I replyed asking about the bullet, and his answer this morn'in was, no bullet - a complete pass through leaving a good sized exit hole and breaking a rib on the way out.

I figured the Ol'cartridge would have been out of steam, but seems like a good 100yd deer cartridge to me with those results.

Keep em coming!

CDOC